There were no newspapers, the TV and radio stations halted news broadcasts, as hundreds of journalists, technicians and staff from television and radio stations and daily newspapers rallied with other professionals in the center of Athens on Wednesday.
The journalists carried anti-austerity banners and slogans saying, for example, “We want jobs, no more unemployment. We can’t live on starvation wages in the 21st century.” At the same time, lawyers, pharmacists and doctors staged a similar peaceful protest in front of the Finance Ministry in Athens.
Professionals were saying that these protests are a rehearsal for the second nationwide strike to be held on Thursday, which has been organized by the country’s two major trade unions.
"We are sinking in a swamp of recession and it's getting worse," said Dimitris Asimakopoulos, head of the GSEVEE small business and industry association. "180,000 businesses are on the brink and 70,000 of them are expected to close in the next few months."
“Young scientists in Greece are being forced to emigrate in order to survive, as here they are taxed 35 percent on the first cent they earn and they’re unable to find a job anyway,” said George Patoulis, President of the Athens Medical Association.
Konstantinos Balomenos, a 58-year-old worker at a water utility whose wage has been halved to 900 euros and who also has two unemployed sons, spoke to Reuters, "Enough is enough. They've dug our graves, shoved us in and we are waiting for the priest to read the last words." "This austerity is making all of Europe's south rebel, the euro will be destroyed. We are asked to pay for what our politicians have embezzled."
This strike comes amid tense negotiations between Greece and international lenders on the 13.5 billion-euro austerity package, which is a condition from the so-called troika (International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Commission).
According to a senior Greek government official, cited by Reuters, so far “there is an agreement on all issues except labor reforms. We are on the right path." But while officials praise the agreement with international lenders, Greeks continue protests against cuts.
Another nationwide general strike, will hit Greece on October 18 with public transportation shutting down, and hospitals running with minimal personnel.
As part of the action, air traffic controllers will also take part for three hours on Thursday morning. Protests against the austerity measures and tax hikes resumed in Greece last month after the country’s coalition government took office in July.
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